Vegetarian Lasagna

I just love this picture of Zoë and Sadie. It was one of San Francisco's more beautifully sunny fall days and they both look so healthy and happy. It's these moments that inspire me to keep my family healthy. I would say that there are times I take it to the extreme (I add flaxseed meal to our hamburgers) and I am not sure if I am now teetering on the edge. I was inspired to adopt Meatless Mondays after watching Food, Inc. The documentary encourages people to be mindful of where their food comes from and to limit the intake of mass produced food. This would include all types of meat. While I don't plan to try to persuade people to eat differently, it has had a profound affect on my thinking and I can't help but to write about it. It will truly affect the way Zoë eats from here onward or at least while I am cooking for her.

I have always been an unapologetic carnivore and my cooking has instilled the same love of meat in my daughter. Her favorite dinner food is a cheeseburger followed by “chicken,” which could include pork or turkey. She thinks all light colored meats are chicken and it has been easier to just let her go with it. Well after watching Food, Inc the days of $2.87 chicken legs on the bone are gone and, as I was shopping in Whole Foods on Saturday, find that they will be replaced by $10 organic whole roasting chickens. Since my wallet is not ready to embrace an organic, grass fed, antibiotic-free carnivore diet, my mind is trying to embrace Meatless Monday. The first shot was a Tuscan bread soup. It was pretty good but took a number of days to make, so I doubt it will become a regular on the dinner menu. Besides, by the shudders and gags at the dinner table, I would say Zoë thought it bombed! The second try was vegetarian lasagna and it was tasty. With some convincing, Zoë ate a whole piece and agreed to have some packed for Tuesday's lunch.

Vegetarian Lasagna

A colleague of mine who I would describe as a political vegetarian, she does eat some meat but for the most part abstains on principal, shared some of her favorite vegetarian dishes to inspire my Meatles

s Monday menu. She has been instrumental in sparking my imaginative embrace of produce. I took the lasagna recipe she gave me and enhanced it a bit. All veggie doesn't have to mean low-cal and less flavor.

Cover with foil and bake 50 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. If you have any leftover sauce, heat and spoon over slices of lasagna when serving.

Best thing, you don't need to serve a side salad. I just warmed some sourdough bread and it made a stinking good meal!